Delirious
by ASiriuslyGleekyTimeLord
Summary: Parker gets sick, really bad, really fast. Who is there to take care of her?


Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage…but I am going to see Christian Kane in concert!

A/N: I've wanted to write this type of story for a while, and at first I thought about doing Eliot/Parker for it, but then I thought that since no one did a whole lot exploring the relationship that exists between Nate and Parker (not romantic, father/daughter here) I would look at that for once. I hope you enjoy!

Delirious

She couldn't move and was too tired to open my eyes. There was something hard against her back and she thought that she had been captured again.

Pounding. She heard pounding and shouting and started to panic. Who had found her? What was going on? Then a voice, shouting for her, but it was muffled and she couldn't tell who it was. She heard her door slam open and bang off the wall. There was a rush of footsteps and then, "Parker!"

She was lifted up and realized that she must have been lying on the floor. Opening her eyes, her vision was blurry at first, but then it cleared and she saw Nate looking down at her, eyes full of concern. "Nate?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"We haven't heard from you in three days, we got worried," he said, positioning his arms behind her shoulders and under her knees and easily scooped her up off the floor and carried her over to her bed, laying her down and tucking her in. Her eyes rolled lazily and he rested a hand against her forehead. "Parker, you're burning up! How long has it been this way?" he asked.

"What day is it?" she asked.

"Friday," he responded slowly.

Her face scrunched up in concentration and confusion. "What happened to Wednesday and Thursday?"

"Dang it Parker," Nate almost growled, pulling out his cell phone and calling the others. He hurried to the bathroom while he talked and wet a washcloth before returning to her side and gently mopping at her forehead.

"Nate…" she murmured, her head shifting uncomfortably from side to side. The fever was making her delirious and she couldn't remember where she was.

"It's okay Parker. I've got you," he whispered soothingly. "It's okay, just relax."

"Hurts…Nate…'m too hot…" she moaned, writhing under the blankets, trying to get out.

"No, Parker, you have to stay under there. It will help you," Nate said firmly, but gently, holding her still until she relaxed in his grasp.

"Nate…please Nate…" Parker murmured.

"What Parker?" he asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Just go…don't wanna…be a burden…" she muttered and he knew that she was just barely coherent.

"I'm not going anywhere Parker."

He continued to mop her brow with the cloth and eventually the thief fell into a fitful sleep, but at least she was sleeping. Nate sighed before resting the cloth against her forehead and going to the kitchen. Looking into her fridge, he found some ginger ale and, figuring that with a fever this high, her stomach would get upset, poured some into a glass, taking it in to her and setting it down on her nightstand. He also set a few ibuprofens on the stand and decided against waking her up to take them.

Nate sat down in a chair near her bed and watched her, making sure that she was going to be okay. He was sitting there for maybe an hour when her eyes fluttered open and she looked around blearily. "Parker?" he asked, getting up and moving to the edge of the bed.

"Nate…? What…where…what are you doing in my bedroom?" she asked, looking around.

"Do you remember earlier?" he asked, reaching up and brushing some of her hair away from her face.

"I just remember…your voice…" she murmured, focusing in on him. "Nate…what happened to me?"

"You're sick Parker. But don't worry; I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay." He grabbed the pills and helped her take them before holding the water to her lips. "These should help."

"Thanks Nate…" she said softly, laying back against the pillows. "I can't remember…what day is it?"

"It's Friday," Nate responded quietly. "Don't worry about it Parker, just get some rest."

The thief nodded and let her eyes close again. "Thanks Dad…" she murmured, dropping off again.

Nate jerked in surprise. Dad? Since when had he become Dad again? But, as he looked at it, he realized, with a sigh of belief that it was the truth. Eliot, Hardison, Parker…they were his kids. He was a Dad again...and he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
